"Give Me an Inch" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Robert Palmer | ||||
from the album Pressure Drop | ||||
B-side | "Pressure Drop" | |||
Released | 30 January 1976 [1] | |||
Length | 3:17 | |||
Label | Island | |||
Songwriter(s) | Robert Palmer | |||
Producer(s) | Steve Smith | |||
Robert Palmer singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Audio video | ||||
"Give Me An Inch" on YouTube |
"Give Me an Inch" is a song by English singer Robert Palmer, which was released in 1976 as the lead single from his second studio album Pressure Drop (1975). [2] The song was written by Palmer and produced by Steve Smith. [3] "Give Me an Inch" reached No. 6 on the US Billboard Bubbling Under the Hot 100 chart and No. 88 on the Cash Box Top 100 Singles chart. [4] [5]
Upon release, Cash Box commented: "Fine, fine lyrics and a boiling production full of soaring strings, steady drums and sultry bass, flutes in the background. Palmer's voice personifies the storyline which intimates that he's ready for the love that's finally crossed his path." [6] In a review of Pressure Drop, Billboard listed the song as one of the album's "best cuts". [7] In a retrospective review of the album, David Jeffries of AllMusic commented: "...the soft songs are well written and convincing, especially the opening "Give Me an Inch"." [2]
Chart (1976) | Peak position |
---|---|
US Billboard Bubbling Under the Hot 100 [4] | 6 |
US Cash Box Top 100 Singles [5] | 88 |
"Give Me an Inch" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Ian Matthews | ||||
from the album Stealin' Home | ||||
B-side | "Man in the Station" | |||
Released | 2 February 1979 | |||
Recorded | 1978 | |||
Studio | Chipping Norton Recording Studios | |||
Genre | Soft rock [8] | |||
Length |
| |||
Label | Rockburgh/Mushroom | |||
Songwriter(s) | Robert Palmer | |||
Producer(s) |
| |||
Ian Matthews singles chronology | ||||
|
In 1978, British singer-songwriter Iain Matthews recorded "Give Me an Inch" for his ninth studio album Stealin' Home . Matthews told The Huffington Post in 2014, "I was a peripheral Robert [Palmer] fan. I knew him when I lived in England and had followed his musical development. I heard the song and wanted to interpret it." [9] Reviewing Stealin' Home for Rolling Stone 's syndicated record review column, Stephen Holden assessed Matthews' version as "more compelling" than the original preferring "Matthews' rock treatment [with its] eschewing [of] the pretentious string arrangements that mar much of Palmer's music." [10] Released as the followup single to the Top 20 hit "Shake It", "Give Me an Inch" afforded Matthews a final Billboard Hot 100 entry, peaking at No. 67 in April 1979. [11]
"Woodstock" is a song written by Canadian-American singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell. At least four notable versions of the song were released in the same year, 1970. Mitchell's own version was first performed live in 1969 and appeared in April 1970 on her album Ladies of the Canyon and as the B-side to her single "Big Yellow Taxi". This publication was preceded by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young's version, which appeared on their March 1970 album Déjà Vu and became a staple of classic rock radio and the best-known version in the United States. A third version, by the British band Matthews Southern Comfort became the best known version in the United Kingdom, and was the highest charting version of the song, reaching the top of the UK Singles Chart in 1970. A fourth version by studio project the Assembled Multitude also became a chart hit.
Iain Matthews is an English musician and singer-songwriter. He was an original member of the British folk rock band Fairport Convention from 1967 to 1969 before leaving to form his own band, Matthews Southern Comfort, which had a UK number one in 1970 with their cover of Joni Mitchell's "Woodstock". In 1979, his recording of Terence Boylan's "Shake It" reached No. 13 on the US charts.
Van Allen Clinton McCoy was an American record producer, arranger, songwriter and singer. He is known for his 1975 internationally successful hit "The Hustle". He has approximately 700 song copyrights to his credit, and produced songs by such recording artists as Brenda & the Tabulations, David Ruffin, The Stylistics, The Presidents, Faith, Hope & Charity, New Censation, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Aretha Franklin, Peaches & Herb, Lesley Gore, and Stacy Lattisaw.
"Silly Love Songs" is a song by the British–American rock band Wings that was written by Paul and Linda McCartney. The song first appeared in March 1976 on the album Wings at the Speed of Sound, then it was released as a single backed with "Cook of the House" on 1 April in the US, and 30 April in the UK. The song, which features disco overtones, was seen as being written in response to music critics accusing McCartney of predominantly writing "silly love songs" and "sentimental slush"; however, McCartney has since clarified that the song was actually directed to John Lennon who accused him of writing such songs.
"Say You, Say Me" is a song written and recorded by American singer and songwriter Lionel Richie for the film White Nights. The single hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and on the Hot Black Singles chart in December 1985. It also became Richie's ninth number-one on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart. The track is not available on the film's soundtrack album, as Motown did not want Richie's first single following the massive success of his 1983 album Can't Slow Down to appear on another label. It was included by Motown on Richie's 1986 release Dancing on the Ceiling.
"I Can't Hear You No More" is a composition written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King. It was originally recorded as "I Can't Hear You" in 1964 by Betty Everett. The most successful version was the 1976 top 40 single by Helen Reddy.
"Missionary Man" is a song by British pop duo Eurythmics from their fifth studio album, Revenge (1986). The song features Jimmy Zavala on harmonica and Joniece Jamison on backing vocals.
"Don't Leave Me This Way" is a song written by Kenneth Gamble, Leon Huff and Cary Gilbert. It was originally released in 1975 by Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes featuring Teddy Pendergrass, an act signed to Gamble & Huff's Philadelphia International label. "Don't Leave Me This Way" was subsequently covered by American singer Thelma Houston in 1976 and British duo the Communards in 1986, with both versions achieving commercial success.
"Simply Irresistible" is the first single released by English rock singer Robert Palmer from the 1988 studio album Heavy Nova.
Pressure Drop is the second solo album by English singer Robert Palmer, released in 1975. Palmer is backed by Little Feat and other musicians. The title track is a cover version of the reggae hit by Toots & the Maytals. However, many other songs on the album use "New Orleans funk ... along with smooth, dated disco ballads smothered in strings". Continuing his association with Little Feat started by his cover of "Sailing Shoes" on his 1974 debut album Sneaking Sally Through the Alley, Feat was used as backing band on several cuts, most notably Lowell George's slide guitar on "Here With You Tonight". George also contributed the tune "Trouble" on which Feat pianist Bill Payne plays the intro. David Jeffries' review says that the album is considered "too blue-eyed and polished for fans of Palmer's more gutsy moments" but concludes that "Pressure Drop has grown into the great overlooked album in Palmer's discography". In June 2009, the album was ranked as No. 20 on Mojo's list of the 50 best records released by Island. The album peaked at No. 136 in the US.
"Kiss and Say Goodbye" is a 1976 song by American R&B vocal group The Manhattans. It was written by group member Winfred Lovett, the bass singer and songwriter of the group, who did the song's spoken introduction. The song was recorded for the album The Manhattans, released in 1976 by Columbia Records, and was released as a single in March of the same year. "Kiss and Say Goodbye" became a worldwide success, appearing in the musical charts of countless countries, a Top 10 hit in many countries, including No. 1 in the US, Belgium, Netherlands, New Zealand, and in Europe (European Hot 100 Singles). With the exception of the Adult Contemporary Chart, "Kiss and Say Goodbye" was ranked number 1 in the US on all pop and R&B singles charts. The song was one of the biggest hits of 1976 and of the 1970s.
"Never Gonna Fall in Love Again" is a song co-written and recorded by American pop rock artist Eric Carmen. It was released as the second single from Carmen's self-titled debut solo album and peaked at No.11 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart in June 1976, remaining in the Top 40 for ten weeks. The song reached No.1 on the Billboard Easy Listening chart. In Canada, it was a hit at No. 1 on both charts.
"Some Guys Have All the Luck" is a song written by Jeff Fortgang. It has been a Top 40 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 twice, as the original by The Persuaders in 1973 reaching No. 39. In 1982 it was covered by Robert Palmer, which was a hit in the UK peaking at No. 16. Then it was recorded by Rod Stewart in 1984 when it hit No. 10 in the U.S. and No. 32 on the Adult Contemporary chart.
"Looking for Clues" is a song by English musician Robert Palmer, released in 1980 as the second single from his sixth studio album Clues. Written and produced by Palmer, "Looking for Clues" reached number 33 in the UK Singles Chart, and number 5 on the US Billboard Bubbling Under the Hot 100.
"Give Me the Night" is a song recorded by American jazz and R&B musician George Benson, which he released from his 1980 studio album of the same title. It was written by Heatwave's keyboard player Rod Temperton and produced by Quincy Jones. Patti Austin provides the backing and scat vocals that are heard throughout, and one of Benson's fellow jazz guitarists, Lee Ritenour, also performs on the track.
"Always and Forever" is an R&B song written by Rod Temperton and produced by Barry Blue. It was first recorded by the British-based multinational funk-disco band Heatwave in 1976. Released as a single on December 3, 1977, the song is included on Heatwave's debut album Too Hot to Handle (1976) and has been covered by numerous artists, becoming something of a standard.
"Where Did Our Love Go" is a 1964 song recorded by American music group the Supremes for the Motown label.
"Shake It" was written and recorded by Terence Boylan in 1977. It was covered the following year by Ian Matthews for his album Stealin' Home and became a top 20 hit single in February 1979.
"Why Me?" is a song written by Giorgio Moroder, Keith Forsey, and the song's performer, Irene Cara, that was the first official single to be released from Cara's 1983 album, What a Feelin', making it the follow-up to the songwriting trio's previous project for Cara, "Flashdance... What a Feeling". This new collaboration, however, was described as having more of a hard rock edge and had lyrics that conveyed the difficulties in a relationship.
Stealin' Home is the title of the ninth solo album by British singer/songwriter Ian Matthews. It was the first of four solo albums made for Rockburgh Records, the record label formed in 1977 by Sandy Roberton who had produced the album In Search Of Amelia Earhart by Matthews’s 1972 band, Plainsong [the others would be Siamese Friends (1979), Spot Of Interference (1983) and Shook (1984)].